Letter to the editor: History offers a reminder on the aspirations of the rich

Thursday

Jun 5, 2014 at 3:07 PM

To the editor:As a retired environmental manager, what is wrong with making coal-fired, polluting plants the least dangerous as possible? Particulates and mercury are only two of the dangerous pollutants. Particulates contribute to asthma while mercury is toxic to pregnancies contributing to spontaneous abortions.If it is cost of pollution devices, what about the collateral medical care costs and personal suffering? Should we discard the science that has made us great? We put men on the moon 45 years ago.As for the science, take a simple example: When the weather channel says it's going to be raining, thunder storms or tornadoes, do you deny their word?No, you take precautions and city fog horns go off. Global warming uses the same technology only much more intricate and evidence-based. Let's be honest: It's about money and power.The top 1 percent control nearly 20 percent of the U.S. income. This is nothing new. In ancient Rome, 1.5 percent controlled the same.Crassus, the richest man in Rome at the time, made part of his fortune by operating a fire department. When a fire was burning a citizen's house, he would come and negotiate the price while it was burning before his eyes.He was so bored and vain he had to buy his own army, which he did. He died in battle in 53 B.C.The rich will do anything to protect, perpetuate and expand their wealth or power. They have a self-proclaimed privilege and the delusion of omniscience and omnipotence.What do they care about a moral imperative to be the best steward of our environment resources and country health? They will always have the best protections money can buy. Another historical nugget: Crassus also took a young fledgling under his financial and political wing. His name was Julius Caesar, and we know how that turned out.

Ronald BanksLeavenworth

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